Samsung In Talks With BYD To Buy Stake In Electric-Car Maker (bloomberg.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Samsung is reportedly in talks with BYD Co. about investing in the Chinese electric-car manufacturer. Bloomberg reports: "Details including the size of the investment will be disclosed when they're confirmed, Samsung said Friday in an emailed statement. The investment in BYD, backed by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc., would bolster Samsung's semiconductor business for cars, the South Korean company said. Samsung is pursuing the investment after its affiliate was among foreign battery makers left off a list of suppliers approved by China, where sales of electric vehicles are surging and the government has sped up construction of charging points. The talks with BYD also add to the global trend of technology companies and automakers collaborating as car buyers increasingly demand more advanced powertrains and features that improve connectivity and safety. 'It puts Samsung into the electric-vehicle subsystem supply chain for a key Chinese electric vehicle and battery manufacturer,' said Bill Russo, a Shanghai-based managing director at Gao Feng Advisory Co. 'BYD gets a technology innovation pipeline partner with a reputable brand.' China surpassed the U.S. as the largest market for electric vehicles last year. The government wants sales of what it calls new-energy vehicles to exceed 3 million units a year by 2025." With the success of its Galaxy S7 flagship smartphones, Samsung said that its second-quarter operating profit likely rose 17.4% from a year earlier.

Comments

Detroit

[tripleevenfall]

Makes you wonder if the old guard auto makers are going to go the way of the Dodo -

Making a box with motorized wheels is comparatively easy to developing the self-driving technology, the mapping and intelligence of the software. Currently the tech companies are on this, not the auto companies.

Perhaps Ford and Chevrolet will one day be limited to work trucks and purpose-built vehicles, and most people will be riding around in Samsungs and Apples

Re:Detroit

[Anonymous Coward]

Except that Ford and Chevy actually have EVs on the market instead of rumors and speculation... but don't let the facts get in the way.

Maybe critical thinking on Slashdot is what's gone the way of the Dodo.

Re:Detroit

[sittingnut]

aren't you confusing two different things. hardware and software.
"self-driving technology, the mapping and intelligence of the software" etc do different things from electric motors, internal combustion, etc powering the car.

it would be like the so called smartphones.
so even if herd people will be "riding around in Samsungs and Apples"(at hyped up prices) in future(though i doubt it, see below), those cars will be made by car manufacturers who know how to make whatever is powering the car.
and as with the smartphones, there would be generic versions at realistic prices that give all functionality, more or less direct from the manufacturers.

but unlike with smartphones, cars will be judged more on hardware than on software. that is why i doubt even herd people will be "riding around in Samsungs and Apples".

Re:Detroit

[mspohr]

Ford, GM and all the other "established" automakers have been very slow to introduce EVs and the cars they have made are severely crippled (low range, expensive, bad design, etc.). They have mostly been producing limited production "compliance cars" which they are forced to make to avoid regulatory penalties.
Tesla demonstrated that there is significant demand for a practical electric car without compromises. I do hope that the old guard gets its act together but I think this may be another case of established producers reluctant to cannibalize their existing ICE cars where they have invested billions in ICE technology and production. I think they hope this whole EV car fad will go away and they can get back to making muscle cars, SUVs and pick up trucks powered by dinosaur juice.

Re:Detroit

[Anonymous Coward]

batteries with graphene vanadium oxide cathodes store 10 times Ni:MH recharge in 20 seconds and retain more than 90% of their capacity even after 1000 cycles of use. EV is no fad

Good strategy

[future assassin]

Invest in an E car maker.
Patent round corners
?????
Profit!

If they find a way to subsidize from SPs

[Marxist Hacker 42]

I would consider a Samsung branded Smart Car, if they could find a way to get Tmobile to subsidize it. Heck, thanks to that "Buy three, get a free additional line" sim card deal, I've got a spare sim card for it.

god, are they stupid

[WindBourne]

all these companies giving up their capital and ip only to sell a few more items. such idiots.

Re:god, are they stupid

[Anonymous Coward]

Think of it like this: Once in production, which has a higher profit margin: A phone, or a car?

Patents expire

[Anonymous Coward]

I wouldn't be shocked if players who aren't even in that radar at the moment comes out as winners in the end. With cars you don't really need super high-end, just good enough at reasonable prices. Who will become Honda or Toyota of electric cars? Wish I had the answer to invest my money.

Not just electrics

[Anonymous Coward]

BYD makes cars, electric and otherwise. Don't be so specific